XP gone in 2014

[Kenny]

Microsoft Will Officially Pull The Plug On Windows XP In One Year

On April 8, 2014, Microsoft will officially retire Windows XP, the company's most popular version of Windows ever, first launched about 12 years ago.
That doesn't mean if you have XP running on some old computer that it will stop working. It does mean that Microsoft will no longer be issuing security patches and updates for XP. So, if hackers find news ways to break into XP, Microsoft won't stop them.

Microsoft's Erwin Visser made a plea on the Windows blog about it. He told businesses that they don't even have to upgrade their PCs to Windows 8, they can just upgrade to Windows 7 if they want.

There are still a lot of XP machines out there and not all of them are a decade old. Microsoft allows businesses to downgrade their operating system to any version they want, as long as it's a version that's still supported by Microsoft.

Even today a business can buy a new Windows machine and put XP on it. They do that because they have critical apps that work well with XP, but not great with Windows 7 or 8.

Some 39 percent of the PCs using the Internet these days are using XP, according to Net Marketshare. That compares to about 45 percent using Windows 7 and about 3% using Windows 8. (More PCs actually use Windows Vista at about 5%.)

Many of these XP machines are being used by small businesses, so Microsoft is trying to convince them to upgrade by offering them a 15 percent discount on Windows 8 and Office Standard 2013, if both products are purchased together by June 30, Microsoft says.

The only thing they have done right since SE2...
XP acually works, so many proggys run stable, and as the article mentions, 39% of the boxes online are using XP (which could be why they are stopping support, to get you to spend).

This is why I started the Win 8 thread last month.. to see what I can use after all these years with XP.

It's not like Uncle Bill needs the $ .... Oh well.

Peace,
Cy

 

[johname]

See Lenno your going to have to upgrade one day lol

 

[Kenny]

See Lenno your going to have to upgrade one day lol

From the win 8 thread... lol

But I really like XP, and until I finds some hacks to let me reframe and reach inside win 7, I'll stay with it.

Peace,
Cy

 

[DU]

The future is CLOUD.... lmfao

 

[enlytend]

On one hand I can understand them not wanting to support something they produced 10 yrs ago, but like many have pointed out, it's one of the few releases they got right. After some of the epic fails they've had, are they really surprised people want to stick with something that works?

The future is CLOUD.... lmfao

Translation: If you don't own it, we can decide if and when you upgrade and how much it will cost you. I'm sure they'd love to push people into a cloud-based solution if they thought they could get away with it.

Adobe is the poster child for forcing users into the cloud. Used to be that you could upgrade every few releases and get upgrade pricing. Now they have their "cloud" product - they cut off upgrades except for the previous release, discontinued affiliate payments for non-cloud products, and they've "hidden" the "traditional" product as much as they can on their site. Too many people were holding onto old releases for years ... or forever. Unless you were buying the top-of-the line "bells and whistles" edition or upgrading every release, it was much cheaper over time to upgrade than it is now to subscribe. (I did a cost-of-ownership breakdown, if anyone wants to see it.) Forcing people to subscribe keeps the $$$$ coming in.

I still have one XP box here - debating whether to go Win7 or Win8 on it.

 

[DU]

Adobe is the poster child for forcing users into the cloud. .

Does work out cheaper in the end though. The biggest argument for them was that it's harder to pirate... I think 95% of users had unlicensed copies which is good (you get the tool to be #1) and bad (make little off it),

I always felt they needed to extend their student pricing to anyone not using it commercially with upgrade if it became full use.

Too lop sided a market. I have Win 7 and like it just fine. I also have Mint which has some fan issues (for me) but like it just fine.

 

[enlytend]

Does work out cheaper in the end though.

Not necessarily - check out the chart I linked. I ran the entire cost analysis the end of last year when I was trying to decide if I wanted to upgrade while I still could, subscribe, or none of the above. I ended up upgrading - it was much cheaper for me, given the # of productsI actually use and how often I upgrade.

This does make it harder to pirate and gives them a continuing and predictable stream of revenue.

 

[GILSAN]

But I really like XP, and until I finds some hacks to let me reframe and reach inside win 7, I'll stay with it.

Peace,
Cy

Me too :tu:

 

[domainventure]

I have Win 8 and as a user never have the comfort feel of XP. Maybe its the resistance to change. Dunno. XP much better.

 

[DU]

Not necessarily - check out the chart I linked. I ran the entire cost analysis the end of last year when I was trying to decide if I wanted to upgrade while I still could, subscribe, or none of the above.

I did the same analysis but starting at a different point - upgraders do lose (you kind of lose the upgrade benefit). Everyone, when they cancel holds any access to the product - even old versions (I assume).

CS5 is far good enough for what most people want. I have CS5.5 production premium and CS6 creative suite upgrade because for me I felt having the product in hand was worth it - I don't anticipate that I will "need" to upgrade to CS7/8/9 so can carry this product for more years and save money.

Longer term I prefer the monthly cloud fee for instant upgrade .. but I really don't enjoy the concept a lock in.

I have scouted Linux / Opensource alternatives for everything I want and can comfortably say that I can do without and use an alternative. Though I do like Photoshop/Illustrator (I no longer need Acrobat X)... and Dreamweaver no longer is my favorite editor due to lack of integration.. I'm finding I actually love Aptana/Sublime 2 these days and I've only scratched the surface of that editor.

All work on XP by the way.


I have seen Windows 8 and I don't like the look of it. I guess I'm not genericised tabletized enough. I will keep 7 until it doesn't work then move to Linux... and "maybe" try a Mac again.

 

[enlytend]

did the same analysis but starting at a different point - upgraders do lose (you kind of lose the upgrade benefit). Everyone, when they cancel holds any access to the product - even old versions (I assume).

Nope. Unless it was a "perpetual product" (traditional download) to begin with, you stop your CC subscription your license disappears with it and the software won't run. Unless there's a hack to keep it from "phoning home" to check.

CS5 is far good enough for what most people want. I have CS5.5 production premium and CS6 creative suite upgrade because for me I felt having the product in hand was worth it - I don't anticipate that I will "need" to upgrade to CS7/8/9 so can carry this product for more years and save money.

I had CS3 web premium and still could have lived with that for a long time. Every Adobe version is more and more of a resource hog than the last, which annoys me. New Photoshop features prompted me to upgrade - which I did last minute the end of December. I'm also not planning to upgrade or go to cloud for a long time.

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

Big business is all about what's good for the bottom line, not what's good for the customer.

Remember WordPerfect? It was (and still is) a better product than MSWord.

For publishing, WP is easier to use than Word and converts to pdf files perfectly. Moreover, when you get a hinky code, WP allows you to see and delete it--Word does not.

But Microsoft has sold the public and businesses a bill of goods.

It's no surprise that Microsoft will soon be ditching XP.

*

 

[lennco]

See Lenno your going to have to upgrade one day lol

We will see if the end is delayed...again.

I remember the death of XP was greatly exaggerated when Vista was released.

If so then I will wait for Win 9 or 10 or 11...lol

But until then I will stay with my beloved XP

 

[DU]

*
Big business is all about what's good for the bottom line, not what's good for the customer.
*

I'm not a big business proponent by any means but they've maintained support for an OS that's now over 10 years old and given people over 2 years to move. The reality is that it *is* in the best interest of a customer to upgrade at some point.

Linux (which I use) upgrades constantly and sometimes with dire consequences (see Ubuntu - Unity). Apple is the worst they tie their software to the hardware!! My mac laptop (less then 5 years old) couldn't use iCloud!

But XP doesn't work well with raid or modern drive controllers. The security architecture is weaker and it isn't true 64 bit. It doesn't fully utilize modern GPUs. No modern dev group wants to develop software for it.

If all you need is basic Word Processing then you can stick with XP forever - you won't likely need support... until your new printer doesn't work. if you play games or do image/video editing or plan a hardware upgrade it's worth it.

Office lets you save as PDF now but if that's your primary concern you should buy Adobe

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

I'm all for great upgrades, but, unfortunately, often the upgrade is a nightmare, like Vista.

I just "upgraded" to Adobe Elements 11.0 from 2.0.

HA!

It offers the same lame features with a crappier interface, so I continue to use the old version, even though it's no longer "supported."

*

 

[verbster]

I have Win 8 and as a user never have the comfort feel of XP. Maybe its the resistance to change. Dunno. XP much better.

My latest machine came with Windows 8. Did not like it at all, but found a free, easy to use product named Classic Shell that converts the look and use to Windows 7, which is like XP on steroids. It installs easily and works great.

 

[NPer]

I'm using Windows 7 for over a year now.

Last time I used XP was 5 or 6 years ago. I liked XP when I used it. Thought it was better than Vista.Over the years, Ive come to appreciate the changes Microsoft have made since XP. Some things are so much easier. I could never go back to XP at this point in my life.

I actually like Windows 7. It's quite neat.

Might give Windows 8 a go soon.

 

[lennco]

Microsoft Delays Windows XP Antivirus Doomsday

Security Essentials for XP gets 15-month extension, but some antivirus vendors promise updates through 2017 and beyond.

Microsoft announced Wednesday that even after it ceases support for its aging Windows XP operating system in April, it won't stop issuing new signatures and updates for its XP antivirus software engine until mid-2015. That represents an about-face by Microsoft, which previously said that as of April it would cease updating all of its XP-compatible security software, including the free Security Essentials.

Microsoft's Malware Protection Center, which announced the extension, pitched it as a way to help businesses and consumers move to a newer version of Windows. "To help organizations complete their migrations, Microsoft will continue to provide updates to our anti-malware signatures and engine for Windows XP users through July 14, 2015," Microsoft's malware protection team said in a blog post.
http://www.informationweek.com/secu.../d/d-id/1113466?piddl_msgid=197967#msg_197967

I am a happy camper :tu: :D

 

[Keral_Patel]

Just hate Unwanted Unpaid work :D

So not planning to move from XP for quite a while

 

[Paul]

I do tech support from time to time. I used to run a tech support business, and I still help out old customers. Many of them still have XP. It kills me to go back to XP. Here's why:

• To open applications, I have to sift through a giant menu. Really? In 8.1, I can just hit the Windows key, type the first few letters of the application name, and hit Enter. Unlike Mac, 8.1 doesn't randomly re-index the entire computer when it gets bored, so it always works.
• Stuff takes forever to open. I can't believe I used to wait that long. Five seconds to open something like notepad? Really? Chrome opens instantaneously on 8.1.
• Boot time. Let's break for tea and crumpets while XP boots. 8.1 boots in 2-3 seconds if your motherboard supports UEFI, which all of the new ones do. And you don't have to wait again when you log in--it just logs you in, instantly.
• No touchscreen. Once you have it, you can't go back. It's like having multiple monitors.
• Metro apps. I know a lot of people hate them, but they're amazingly fast, and you can snap them to the side so they're out of the way. Windows are clumsy and get in the way of each other; you also can't move them around with keyboard shortcuts.
• Lack of functionality. Can't open newer files, can't mount ISOs, task manager looks like freeware, calc.exe looks like someone's homework.
• No built-in antivirus. I mean real antivirus. Third-party antivirus products invariably slow down the whole system significantly. The built-in 8.1 antivirus doesn't seem to, yet it still picks up on common malware, even many FUDed RATs. (Like all antivirus software, though, it's far from infallible.)
• New software doesn't work. A lot of the software that I use simply isn't compatible.
• No cloud support. 8.1 syncs all of my settings and stuff across devices.